Heat may be factor in seven puppy deaths

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Heat might have killed seven puppies that died in the cargo hold of an American Airlines jet this month.

A spokeswoman for the airline said Tuesday that necropsies on the puppies were inconclusive but found that heat "may have been a factor."

The airline is defending its handling of the situation, saying the flight complied with company policy that prohibits shipping animals in hot weather.

American also says the puppies that died might have had other health problems because 17 other dogs survived the same flight.

The dogs died after the flight from Tulsa, Okla., landed in Chicago on Aug. 3.